Metal can.



No. 774,248. I PATENTED NOV. 8, 1904.

' J. J. HICKMAN.

METAL CAN.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 28, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

A TTORNEY.

UNITED STATES Patented November 8, 1904.

P TENT @FFICE.

METAL CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,248, dated November 8, 1904.

Application filed lJfil 28, 1902. Serial No. 133,147. (No modeLl To all whom 7'6 mmty concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES J osnrn HICK- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, in the city of New York, State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Metal Cans or the Like Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention promotes the quick opening of the can and allows the further using of the upper portion as a temporary cover after it has been opened without involving any expensive complications. I have invented important improvements in the construction. I have discovered a construction which is economical in material and labor and affords marked advantages in the results, among which is the capacity of the cover to serve as a temporary lid after the can has been opened. I produce two weakened lines around and below the edge of the body a suflicient distance apart to produce a parting-strip. I combine with such body a cover that is flanged on its rim, and sets into the interior of the body, and extends down nearly to the lower of the twoweakened lines. I join the top of the body with the flange of the cover by curling, leaving the body plain. but differing from an ordinary cylindrical can in having two horizontal weakened lines extending around near the top of the otherwise plain cylindrical body. My construction allows of making the junctions so strong and tight that solder or cement is not required; but solder may be applied in addition for still greater security. The junction does not have to be broken or in any way distributed by the removal of the parting-strip below. All previous approaches known to me' have encumbered the work with complications as folds, which prevented the attainments of the object I accomplish.

The followingis a description of what I consider the best means for carrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 represents a portion of a blank adapted to serve for the body with a lapped side seam. Fig. 2 shows such portion of a blank adapted to allow of a locked side seam.

Fig. 3 is'an edge view of a blank prepared to have the side seam made by double-seaming. Fig. 4 is an edge view of a cover. It is flanged on its rim. Fig. 5 is a side view showing the can completed with a portion of the partingstrip torn away in the act of being opened. Fig. 6 is a side view of the body after the parting-strip has been torn off and the cover and the portion of the body above the partingstrip have been removed. Fig. 7 is a central vertical section showing the original cover applied again to the body of the can after the parting-strip has been removed. Fig. Sshows aface view of an entire completed blank. Portions of the metal are removed at a and It, so that when the upper edge is curled there will be no serious excess of thickness of metal at the junction. Fig. 9 is a side view showing my invention applied to a sardine-box with the parting-strip partly removed. Fig. 5" is a vertical section of a portion corresponding to Fig. 5, but on a larger scale. This shows the joint soldered. Fig. 5" is a section corresponding to Fig. 5, but at a later stage. Fig. 5 is a corresponding section showing the condition when the cover is reapplied after the can has been opened.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they appear.

Previous to my improvement it was common to have a parting-strip formed by a separate piece soldered over a line of junctions between the cover and the body, and it was also common to have a parting-strip made of a part of the body. The parting-strip thus defined included the whole upper part of the body. In each case the parting-strip was extended to make a tongue which was free, so as to be easily engaged by the key and to be wound around the key to remove it. After thus removing such parting-strip there was left a ragged edge, where the parting-strip has been flanged to the cover. It was not practicable to make the flanges wide and curl them together. My construction in which I produce two weak lines around the body both below the junction with the cover makes the parting-strip independent.

I roll the blank to form the body, as usual,

and form the side seam by looking or lapping, and the can may be filled either through a cap-hole in the bottom (not shown) or before curling on the top. The latter is preferred in using a locked seam. It is easy to remove the parting-strip, and it leaves the lower portion of the beveled cover smooth after removing the strip. We simply lift out my cover with the upper portion of the body, which is curled on above the upper weakened line, jointly and permanently attached. The upper edge of the body which remains will be flared outward by the strain applied in the operation. After removing some of the contents my cover may be put back again, its smooth surface matching nicely, and as the upper part of the body is left on the cover it acts as a stop. When the expense will be warranted, I apply solder to the curl by which the flanges of the cover and the body are already strongly and tightly joined. Such will still further insure the absolute tightness of the joint. It is important that the solder does not extend downward beyond the upper weak line (4. Its only function is to insure the tightness of the joint connecting the cover to the upper strip A, which lies above the parting-strip A I attach importance to the fact that my can is cylindrical with no complication except the presence of the two weakened lines and that the latter are in the fair cylindrical surface of the can near the top, because it allows attaining all the advantages while they can be made as cheaply as the ordinary.

Fig. l showshowI have arranged my tongue portion. I show a part of the body broken away to show the tongue A and weakened lines a and (f. The body shown is for acan with lapped seam-that is, where one end is placed under the other in order to make a connection Without the aid of locking, (edging) The main portion of the body of the can is marked A.

Fig. 2 shows how I have removed a little of the metal above and below the extension or tongue A which is formed by a projection of the strip A to serve with the body having a locked seamthat is, where each edge is folded and laid under and the other is laid over, so that they look together.

Fig. 4 shows my cover B with its flanges B. hen in the process of manufacture this The portion that is left permanently fixed to I the cover by having been curled or doubleseamed therewith is ready to serve after the can has been opened as a stop to prevent the cover when it is temporarily reapplied being forced too far down.

Fig. 6 shows the body alone after the can has been opened. A shows the flare produced in the upper portion of the body.

Fig. 7 shows how after removing .the strip portion A between the weakened lines a and a we may return the cover to the body of the can. It shows my cover B extending down within the remaining slightly-flared portion A of the body. The extreme upper portion of the body being the marginal A, which is left strongly engaged with the flange B of the cover B, is shown actually serving as a stop. The curl affords means for grasping the cover to remove or return the same.

Fig. 8 shows the complete blank. Portions of the metal at the upper corners are removed, as shown by (6 a", to facilitate curling the portions at cover end.

Fig. 9 shows the cover with its two weak lines and the parting-strip and the strong strip above applied to a one-piece box, as a shallow sardine-can.

What I claim is In a metal can the combination of a canbody having an integral detachable strip located near the top edge thereof a cover consisting of a depressed central portion of an upwardly-extending peripheral flange seamed at its outer edge to the can-body above said detachable strip, the said peripheralflange being inclined outwardly from the depressed central portion whereby the cover is specially adapted for use as a temporary closure after the detachable strip has been removed.

JAMES JOSEPH HICKMAN.

Witnesses F. J. BUTTRICK, R. T. BLAIR. 

